ready aim...

[MrRiden]

I've just skim read these posts so apologies if it'd been said. This poverty rider would shuffle on down to the nearest junk yard and lop off a big hunk of wire from the trunk harness of any large German car he could find. Invest in a quality crimper, skipping the hardware store variety, and a box of assorted spade connectors, shrink tubing, dielectric grease. and a cheapo VOM [Ive got several]. Some quality time spent in the garage should get everything in order. I'm suspecting the source of your malady will be found in the headlight bucket. have the lamp out and give a look!

[Patrick_Krivacka]

funny you should post that, mrRiden. After having had time to really take it apart and examine the harness, I'm going to do as you suggested, minus the trying to go with wire from a german car. i need to do about 5 or 6 slice's and i should be back in business. None of the wires are larger then 1.5 mm, so I'm just gong to use 14 gauge wire from the auto parts store, since that's larger then any of the slices I need to make. Good idea?
I've tried to take some pics, but none of them came out well enough to post. Basically, it's the wires from ignition/lighting switch, after the white plug. they are completely fried, so there's not much to see.
what i'm most concerned with at this point is feeling confident that it was a couple of frayed wires instead of some sorta' power surge. any feed back on this is appreciated.

[montmil]

...None of the wires are larger then 1.5 mm, so I'm just gong to use 14 gauge wire from the auto parts store, since that's larger then any of the slices I need to make. Good idea?

!4 gauge wire is going to "fatten up" your harness and may be a bit more difficult to match up with the BMW connectors that you may reuse. I would suggest 16 gauge as being closer to the metric equivalent of the OEM harness.

Monte

[Patrick_Krivacka]

thanks Monte. that makes sense. I think I'm going to go the HF and get one of those third hand things.

[montmil]

Check the "Tracer Wire" thread. Dinged Wing Bengt and I were just disussin' it. He's a convert.

And a bit way off topic... Man, these visiting grandkids are already wearing me out! My nearly three-year-old SWWBO has one word for her Grandpa... Again! Again! Again! The two energy engines are still asleep; the dab of valium I added to their bedroom humidifier is working!
[smiley=clap.gif]

Monte

[Patrick_Krivacka]

valium in the humidifier? Why haven't I thought of that!? On second thought, maybe I should keep the valium for myself.

Yes, i got the idea of the third hand from the 'tracer wire' thread.

I hope i can get to it today, and post up a success story in the PM.

[Patrick_Krivacka]

I forgot to ask-how do you get the little bullet connectors out of the white plastic holder? some of the wires are burnt all the way into the plug, so I need to get them out.

[Bob_Roller]

You need 'butt' type crimp on connectors .

You need to push on the wire to get the little spring tab on the pin free of the connector shell, then put the connector, or small diameter tubing over the round pin, push on it so it goes over the spring tab and retracts it, then you can remove the pin and wire from the connector .

If you have any flat pins you need to remove, there's a small slot in the connector opening in the cut out for the pin, you need to get a thin piece of metal down that slot to push the spring tab down and out of the way, so you can then pull the terminal end and wire out of the connector .

It's actually a lot easier to due, than to explain it !!!!

[montmil]

...You need to push on the wire to get the little spring tab on the pin free of the connector shell, then put the connector, or small diameter tubing over the round pin, push on it so it goes over the spring tab and retracts it, then you can remove the pin and wire from the connector...

Thin wall tubing, brass and/or aluminum, is available in 12-inch lengths at most hobby shops and hardware stores. Just what you need.

If you have any flat pins you need to remove, there's a small slot in the connector opening in the cut out for the pin, you need to get a thin piece of metal down that slot to push the spring tab down and out of the way, so you can then pull the terminal end and wire out of the connector...

I have a few Harbor Freight cheap-o, flat-blade screwdrivers just for this use. A buck or two for a set of drivers advertised as "eye glasses repair" or some such. If needed, dress the flat blade to a thinner section on a whetstone.

Monte

[marcmax]

I-Man I was just killing some time waiting for the afternoon thunderstorm to clear and found two wiring harnesses on eBay. One is fro a 1985 so I don't know if it will direct replace but if nothing else it is a wealth of relays and color correct wires. I used one from an R80 when I was working on mine.

[Patrick_Krivacka]

thanks for all the replies on the wiring harness. I decided to just slice in some new bits and take it from there. anyway, I got it all together and hooked up but when I turn the key I get nothing. I don't think I missed anything as far as the harness goes, but it's possible. The battery has a charge. what next?

[montmil]

... when I turn the key I get nothing..

Whatcha mean "nothing"? Starter, lights, dash, head, tail, brake, turn, horn? Nothing?

Checked fuses? Your rolling barbecue could have caused 'em to fry.

Trace continuity on all the wires you replaced?

All ground wires secure?

Any power to other parts of the scooter? Battery ground secured?

Spill it, i-man. We wanna know.

Monte

[Patrick_Krivacka]

yeah, no lights period. no horn. I did check all connections, but I didn't check the fuses. I was (am?) of the impression that the fuses couldn't cause a complete electrical failure? I'll try to go over everything again when i get home from work.

[Bob_Roller]

If nothing on the bike works, you need to start with the red wire that comes off of the battery it supplies all of the power to the circuits on the bike, it's the small wire, not the cable that goes to the starter .

Start tracing that wire from the battery to where it branches off to the other circuits .

It would be a good idea to at least check the fuses .

[montmil]

Yeah, that red wire from the battery's positive post goes to the starter relay, the light relay -shuts off power to the headlight during starter ops- and the ignition/lighting switch.

Don't overlook that right-side, on-off switch which is tied into a... fuse.

Monte